Marley: A Patriot Girl
by Ellie1367
Summary: This is a story based on the movie The Patriot, except in this story it is based around Marley Evans who is a friend of the Martins, but possibly closer to one Martin boy inparticlar. Keep reading to find out!
1. Chapter 1

Marley Evans awoke with a groan. The sun came in through the small porthole hitting her directly in the eye. She sat up slowly and looked around the quiet room. Her sister lay in the bed next to her, finally asleep after a long night of getting sea sick. She saw her mother was still sleeping comfortably in bed, but her father was not lying next to her. She swung her legs out onto the floor and tiptoed over her brother snoring on the floor and out the door. The climbed out of the cabin and onto the deck of the vast ship. The cold sea air whipped across her bear ankles and feet, she looked out onto the sea and toward the front of the ship and that is where she saw her father standing there watching the ocean.

"Father" she called out to him and began walking in his direction. He turned and gave her a warm smile.

"Good morning little one" he said as she got closer to him, "how did you sleep my dear?"

"About as well as you did father." She said

"The not so well" He joked. He paused and looked back out on the ocean, "I have something to show you."

"What?" She questioned excitedly.

"Come here" he said as he picked up her small seven year old body and balanced her on his hip. "You see right out there, right there in the middle of the ocean" he pointed. She squinted and searched the sea.

"I don't see anything father" she said sadly

"Oh come now Marley, really look" he coaxed. She looked again and as she scanned a small strip of black caught her eye.

"There, there!" she said shaking wildly. Her father chuckled as he tried to keep hold on her as she squirmed.

"That my love…is our new home. South Carolina" he smiled down at her and she felt a wave of happiness flow through her as she snuggled closer into her father's shoulder.

However, that time was a long time ago, 10 years to be exact, and it was a much joyful time.


	2. Chapter 2

Marley stretched upward and she felt her achy back crack in more then one place. The sun was beating down on her head and she felt her braid coming undo and the hair sticking to her sweaty face. She wiped her brow and looked toward the road where a cloud of dust was following a fast riding messenger.

"I'll be right back" she told one of the field hands as she walked out of the field and toward the rider who was approaching her family's large plantation. The messenger stopped and jumped off the horse walking briskly to her.

"Miss Marley Evans?" he asked fiddling in his bag.

"Yes" she said a bit annoyed that he had interrupted her work.

"Oh! Here it is" he said removing a slip of paper from his bag. "Your father requests your presence at a ball to be held at the fort in Charlestown"

She rolled her eyes "Tell my father I am far to busy caring for_ his_ home to ride to Charlestown."

The messenger smiled "He said you would say that and he said if that was the case then you could forget about your trip to New York to visit your sister"

She glared at the man, even though it was not his fault, "Fine, I'll be there. Give me the invitation" He handed to her and she took it forcefully.

"Alright then, good day miss" he said turning on his heal and walking toward his horse to leave. She stared at the invitation with annoyance and went in the house to bath and dress.

It had been ten years since the time her family had crossed the ocean from England to South Carolina. About three years after their arrival, a hard winter hit and her mother got pneumonia and passed away. After that her father never really recovered and began to drink more. He began to work a lot and control his children's lives. When her sister turned 18 he found a rich man for her to marry and she went off to live in New York. When the war began a couple of years ago her father, loyal to the crown, went off to fight for the redcoat in Charlestown. While she and her brother felt differently about the war, she liked to stay out of it, but her brother. Peter decided to defy their father and left to fight for the rebels. It had been two years since then and three months since his last letter…


	3. Chapter 3

After Marley bathed, got laced up in her corset, and dressed she went outside to her waiting carriage her family kept for special occasions. This wasn't really anything special to go to, but she decided to make an entrance at this ball if her father was going to force her to go. They didn't live to far out of Charlestown and she arrived at the elaborately decorated fort. Her driver held out his hand and helped her out of the carriage. She picked up her gown and continued toward the lights. Inside everything was festive and there was lively music coming from a band. It was if this was any other party and there was no war going on right outside the door. She made her way through the groups of English ladies and men who were all drinking champagne and laughing merrily. Finally she spotted her father standing with a group of men all dressed in their red coats. He turned and saw her and greeted her with a serious smile, not happy to see her, but just happy to see that she had actually shown up.

"Hello my dear" he said offering her his arm and giving her a kiss on the cheek

"Father, Gentlemen" she said curtsying slightly

"So glad to see that you made it" he whispered in her ear a bit sinister. She pretended not to notice and he proceeded to introduce her to the lieutenants and generals around her, whose names she really did not even care to know.

"And finally Marley, this is Lieutenant George Townsend." He said proudly to one of the men not with white hair yet.

"It's a pleasure" she said in a bored tone.

"Townsend here is the nephew of Lord Cornwallis, Marley" her father continued. "And the general and I have decided that the two of you would make a fine match" That made her pay attention very quickly

"a-a match?" she stuttered "what do you-"

"We have decided that you two are to be married, as soon as possible!" her father said happily. "Oh here is Lord Cornwallis." The man in the white wig came and put an arm around George's shoulder.

"Oh this is Marley, I have not seen you since you were a little girl!" he said gleefully "Oh and I see from your expression that you have been told about our little arrangement" he slapped George on the back who looked dumbly happy and wouldn't stop staring at me.

"Champagne all around!" Cornwallis said and I felt a glass being shoved into my hand. I took a large sip hoping it might clear my head or make sense of whatever it was I have unknowingly got into.


	4. Chapter 4

Marley stood frozen, still stunned at what she had just been told as the men sipped their champagne around her.

"Drink dear" her father said nudging her arm a little, as everyone was looking for her to drink to the toast. She tipped the drink back and drank the entire thing, many of the men looked at her in shock. Her father chuckled awkwardly

"She is just…happily overwhelmed. Townsend, why don't you take your future bride aside and get to know each other better" he offered.

George Townsend smiled at Marley, making eye contact with her for the first time. His teeth were crooked was the first thing she noticed. He came up to her and offered her his arm. She looked at it reluctantly. After a moment of holding it in the air he lowered and pointed to an empty bench near the fort. She sat down next to him slowly and neither of them said a word. Marley could not bring herself to look at him, but she could feel his eyes constantly on her.

"Would you like some more champagne?" he asked waving for a waiter. Marley nodded.

"I know this is probably a shock, but after talking over things with your father and my uncle it seems to me like a brilliant idea" She wasn't sure who he was trying to convince exactly.

"I mean you're beautiful, you know that right, and we both come from good English families, it just makes too much sense" she finally brought herself to look at him. He looked much older than she was.

"I realize I am not the most handsome of men, but-"

"How old are you Mr. Townsend? She interrupted him to ask.

"George, please, I'm thirty-six" he answered

"And you know that I am seventeen?"

"I realize the age difference is a bit much, but I am still in good health and I am more then ready for a marriage"

"Why weren't you married earlier, why wait until now?" he looked at her somberly as she asked.

"When I was a younger man I was engaged once, but she passed away in England after I can here" he said a bit sadly.

"I'm sorry"

"It's in the past. I now have our marriage to look forward to Marley" he said smiling. He seemed kind enough Marley thought to herself. George could see she was thinking hard and put his hand on top of hers. She felt it and quickly pulled it away.

"I have to go" She said standing up quickly.

"But Marley…"

"I don't feel well…good-bye" She quickly walked away from him and found her father.

"Marley" He smiled "How are things with George?" She ignored him

"I'm leaving" she said sharply "and I won't do it" she turned on her heal and headed toward the exit.

"Marley" she heard her father call behind her and she quickened her pace.

She located her carriage and driver and got inside.

"Please, take me home" she said sitting back in relief as she felt the carriage moving. Her mind raced the entire way home and her body was filled with dread at her impending marriage. She began to grow tired from the long trip and was starting to doze off. Suddenly she heard what sounded like a crack of a whip that made her shoot up from her slumber. She looked out the window and saw something fall like a sack from the front of the carriage and realized it was her driver. Another crack and the horse took off. Suddenly she could see people on horses riding alongside the side of the racing carriage, but could not tell who they were in the darkness. The horse got startled at the men racing next to it yelling and turned too quickly. He slipped and fell into the mud bringing the carriage with him and turned it on the side and Marley crashed onto the wall of the carriage that was now against the muddy ground. Pieces of the carriage seats and debris fell on top of her. She heard the horse whining outside and the people on the horses stop and heard them mumbling. Her head was aching from the crash and she could not tell what they were saying. She slowly lifted as a light illuminated the inside of the carriage and the door, which was now above her, opened.


	5. Chapter 5

The men's faces were hidden in the shadows behind the light of the torch that they held above her.

"Ben!" one of the yelled "There is someone here"

She heard men shuffling about the carriage

"Oh! It's just a little thing" someone sneered. The man reached in and she felt a dirty hand wrap around her wrist and he lifted her out of the damaged carriage. As he pulled her over the edge of the carriage door she noticed all the men back up to give her space. Even though she could not see them, she could feel their eyes on her suspiciously. The man lost his grip around her wrist; her dress caught on the carriage and tore as she slammed into the ground, which was wet and muddy. She hadn't noticed that it had been raining during her stressful ride.

"Sorry about that love" the men who had held her a moment ago. "Now what is a pretty little thing like you doing out in this part of the country at this hour" He reached up to touch her face and she slapped it away.

"HAHA! Feisty aren't you? I was just going to get some of that dirt off your face but leave it" he sneered again and reached for her.

"John!" a voice walking up to the group said and she noticed all the men stood at attention.

"Leave her be. I am thinking that you wife and young child would not want to see you acting in such a way." The man just laughed and stood up, grabbing a liquor bottle from one of the other men. The man new to the group bent down. He was around her father's age, but still very handsome

"I apologize for my man" he said comfortingly "He does not know how to hold his drink"

She was leaning away from him, afraid of what these men were going to hurt her.

"We mean you no harm" he said "We thought that you were a British Calvary and we have been disarming their carriage" She looked at him excitedly

"Your militia?" she asked.

"Yes miss" he offered her his hand to help lift her dirty and sore body off the ground.

"My brother joined your militia two years ago and I have not heard from him in monthes, perhaps you know of him" She realized the man was only half listening to her as he looked off in another direction.

"Gabriel" he yelled and another man ran up to him. He looked about her age and was strikingly handsome. He stared at her inquisitively of what the older man was doing with her.

Thanks for reading! Please Review and I will keep updating. Sorry it took me so long to do so, I have been super busy with school. But I just finished my last exam today so I can concentrate on this a bit : )


	6. Chapter 6

Marley barley acknowledged Gabriel as he continued to look at her.

"Sir, my brother" She asked the older man

"First" he said "my dear, what is your name?

"Marley Evans" she answered and the man's ears perked up.

"Evans? Are you in any way related to Colonel Henry Evans of England?" This man knew her father. She was shocked. Her father was a well known colonel, but this man seemed to be nothing but a farmer with a pitch fork. He also seemed to calm in demeanor to know to much about war.

"Yes, he is my father" she said somewhat shaply remember her anger with him from earlier in the evening.

"My my my" he said with a smile and looked her up and down. "I have not seen you since you were a babe"

"Excuse me" she said, she finally noticed Gabriel who looked at his father in the same about of shock. The man just smiled.

"Pardon me for me for not introducing myself sooner, my name is Benjamin Martin. Oh and my son Gabriel" he said nodding in the young man's direction."

"I am still confused on how you know me sir" she asked. He smiled warmly at her.

"Well, many years ago, your family came here so your father could assist in the war with the French he and I fought together at Fort Wilderness." He said and she remembered hearing old war stories about Fort Wilderness from her father when old men came over to play cards. "Your mother and my wife became friends during this time as well. Actually my dear, you may not believe this, but I was at your birth"

"Excuse me?" this night just kept getting more and more strange.

"When your mother was pregnant with you, your father was away on business for England in Charlestown. By this time I left the army, which by the way did not sit well with your father." he explained. "He had rented an apartment for your mother and siblings outside the city near where my family was living. One evening your mother showed up at our door with to screaming young children and she was also in labor. A few minutes later, you showed up to the world" he said smiling.

"Why don't I remember this, father?" Gabriel said finally speaking.

"You were only two maybe three Gabe." He answered then turned back to Marley. "When your father returned the next day he said that you were all going back to England because he was needed there. He tried to get me to come along as his right hand, but I told him I was tired of war, but that made no sense to your father" he said shaking his head "He got upset with me because of my decision and you all left for England and I never heard from him again. I only found out that you were all here when your brother joined our militia."

"Yes, my brother, where is he? Is he with another militia?" she was getting anxious. While all of this was intriguing to her, she had her brother as her main concern at the moment.

The father and son gave each other a concerned look.

"What?" she asked all of a sudden very nervous.


End file.
